


Jackrabbit Week 2013 - Renoku's Submissions

by Renoku



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Drabble Collection, Jackrabbit Week, M/M, One Shot Collection, Romance, Temporary Character Death, backwards story, jackrabbit week 2013
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-14
Updated: 2013-07-20
Packaged: 2017-12-20 03:52:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/882628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Renoku/pseuds/Renoku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Another collective of shipping one-shots, this time for Jackrabbit.  All prompts from the jackrabbit week tumblr blog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1 - Winter and Spring

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spring is running late this year, so Bunnymund pays Jack a visit

“Oi!  Jack, wake up!” barked the ever-annoying, Australian-accented, and sinfully attractive voice of the one and only E. Aster Bunnymund.

Despite the obvious hint of irritation layering the blatant alarm clock, Jack feigned sleep, simply rolling over on his snow-packed tree branch.

The morning after Easter Sunday broke out early, the sun glittering on the fresh snow.  It filled the air with a bitter chill, a sensation that soothed Jack like a warm bed, anchoring him to the bark of the tree.  Early birds chattered in the crunching frost, searching the cold earth for worms, hard to find in the dirt.

Bunny kicked the tree.

His legs sent vibrations up the branches, rocking the entire structure of the foundation.  The snow fell off in clumps, and the Pooka made sure to dodge the miniature avalanches.  And then Jack fell on him with a thump.

Shocked blue eyes stared into green, before Jack smirked.

He huffed out through his breathless lungs, ignoring the dull throb underneath his ribs, and he chuckled, “Good morning, Cottontail.”

Bunny scowled.  “Get off me, Frostbite, before I smack you upside the head,” he snapped.  His paws found holds on Jack’s chest, shoving the sprite off of him.  “Bloody show-pony,” he muttered, standing up.

Jack watch as he brushed the matted fur on his chest, smoothing out the mess made from the fall.  He frowned at the Pooka.  “What’s gotten you today?”

“The snow, you gumby!” Bunny cried, gesturing about.

“What about it?  I made sure not to mess anything up yesterday!”

Bunny sighed, approaching the boy.  “It’s spring, Jack.  It’s time to put the snow away.”

Jack’s grip on his staff tightened.  “Do I have to?” he murmured quietly.

“North sent me here to tell you.”

A few moments passed, during which the only sounds that emerged through the forest were the singing of the birds, and the North Wind brushing over the frozen, melting lake.  It scratched into the surface of the ice.  As they stood there, a loud crack split through the air, and the ice broke apart, revealing the black water beneath it.

The sound seemed to jolt Jack into his own mind again, and he smiled.

“You’re right, Bunny,” he said.

Bunny nodded, before pausing, “Wait, I am?”

The playful smirk tugged at Jack’s lips.  “Yes, you are.”

Suddenly, he rushed forward.  Their noses touched, the cold bite of Jack’s skin nipping at Bunny’s wet skin.  It breathed through them, like a running stream.  Another crack of ice filled the air, hiding Jack’s next words from all but Bunny:

“I’ll meet you in the Warren.”

The Wind whisked him away, snowflakes trailing behind him on the breeze.  Bunny stared after the winter devil in stunned silence, before pure joy broke out across his face.  Bounding into the woods, be heralded spring, rejoicing in the life he brought forth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was really short. This is because I procrastinated and wrote this in ten minutes solely for Jackrabbit Week. Also I couldn't think of anything else.


	2. Day Two - Trust Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack has left the Warren in the week leading up to Easter to give Bunny time to prepare. While gone, he takes some time to reevaluate his relationship with Aster, and they both begin to wonder if the last few months have been worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was originally going to be an "almost-smut" fic. For some reason, when I think of trusting someone, especially in a romantic relationship, I always think about having sex for the first time. Oops, procrastination caused me to have a lack of planning, so we ended up with this very SFW fic. And the transitions are fast. Just saying. Also it's written in present tense, which I hate doing, but I got trapped.  
> Besides all of that, please enjoy!  
> ~Renoku

To start a relationship, it takes fifty-four years of rivalries and needless arguments between the stubborn egos of Jack Frost and E. Aster Bunnymund.  And yet, after it begins, time passes even slower, crawling along at an agonizing pace.  The tensions rise between them; it’s more obvious than the approaching Easter that towers over their relationship like the final breaking point.

The need to create fills both of their minds.  Bunnymund wishes only for the paintings to shine out in the chilly spring air, to be noticed, and to be wanted in innocent avarice by the children that shopped freely for his work.  They cheered for his art.  Appreciation flowed from their cries of joy and competition.

Jack craves attention as well.  He wants the world to see him, to confide in him, and he yearns for the confidence to return the favor.  But the only possibility is to pull another prank – or two.

The sprite wants to create something between himself and Bunnymund.  He wants the attention, but fears the consequences of his greed.  What he really strives for is his own confirmation in every way.  Nervousness strikes down his ideas, however, and so he retreats to the treetops, watching the Easter alone.

In turn, desire shakes Bunny to his very core.  The hope for commitment, after millennia with only himself to depend upon, and to care for, fills his heart to point of aching.  The scared thumping rhythm beneath his breast seems to echo through his bones, escaping in any form of energy possible.  As much as he hates to voice it, he wants to finalize his emotions like a contract that needs signing, and yet the terms are so much more eternally significant than the binding laws that hold bodies together.

Easter comes upon them at first slowly, but then suddenly pounces.  Before realization sets in, Bunny paints enough snowflakes to visualize a melting blizzard against the fragile eggshells within his paws.  The baskets fill almost infinitely, and the shrieks of joy fill the air on the early Sunday morning, carrying late into the afternoon.

Shrill laughter sounds like music to Jack’s ears as he watches the Burgess Egg Hunt from the branches above.  The smoking aroma of barbecue reaches his senses, but he ignores the aroma, letting his immortality take its course.  He twirls his staff lightly, tapping the wood against the budding leaves, flinching when frost shoots out to freeze a sprouting bud.

“Sorry, little guy,” he apologizes softly, deciding it’s time to find the being of the day.

He hears the bushes rustle nearby, and can’t help the small smirk that tugs at his lips.

“Sneaking up on me won’t work, Cottontail,” he muses, spinning lightly around to face the underbrush.

When no reply comes, he frowns, and begins to approach.  He braces his staff almost instinctively, although he knows there is no danger.

The voice startles him, drifting lightly on the wind as the Australian accent comments, “I’m better than you think, Frostbite.”

Jack nearly leaps onto the North Wind, barely restraining himself from freezing the ground around him, and consequently the nearby egg hunt.  When the tension fades from his battle stance, he chuckles, folding his staff back to lean against his side.

“You’ve gotten better at this,” he admits, looking the Pooka over, admiring the way the high noon sun glints off his fur and the glittering light from the last snows of winter reflects onto his form.

Bunny only narrows his eyes suspiciously, not betraying the slight twinge of satisfaction he feels pang at his heart at seeing the winter sprite.  He challenges, “Why are you here, Jack?”

Jack’s grin is pained, and he counters, “Can’t I come to see my… friend on Easter?”

“Is that what we are then?  Friends?” Bunny asks, almost accusatory.

The question leaves Jack taken aback.  He hesitates, running the last few months through his mind.  The last three, amazing months, filled with nothing but time spent together, sometimes in silence, other times in full blown war, but together all the same.  And then Easter came to renew old grudges, and rebirth the pain from fifty-four years ago.

But Jack only responds quietly, “I thought we were more than that.”

“That depends,” begins Bunny, “On what you want from this.  Because this past week has been hell without you around.”

Shock courses through the sprite’s mind.  He merely gapes at the rabbit in front of him, confused.  “I thought you said you were busy,” he finally musters.

“I was.  But that didn’t mean you had to leave.  I’ve painted more snowflakes this week than I thought sane, and even then I could never stop thinking about you,” Bunnymund says.  He bristles slightly as he speaks, restraining himself, settling for mere contentment.

Jack shifts awkwardly, his fingers bumping along the ridges of his staff.  “I’m… I didn’t want to mess anything up again.  I was going to come back tomorrow…”

“Jack,” Bunnymund states, “I can’t wait any longer.”

As Jack opens his mouth to speak, Bunny rushes forward.  His feet leap against the ground, striking at the crunching snow and finding holds on the slick grass as easily as he painted his heart out onto the eggs.  Every step pains him, but the faster he moves, and the less he thinks, the easier it becomes.

Warm arms embrace Jack, holding the winter sprite close.  They stand in the spring air, the sun shining down through the sprouting trees, tainted green and yellow by the leaves, with specks of pink from the early blossoms.  White petals begin to drift from the oaks, responding to the silent wind that disturbs the peace of nature.  The clamor of the egg hunt dulls to a distant buzz in Jack’s mind.  The scent of earth and pollen invades his senses, leaving him breathing slowly, frozen by the contact.

“I want you, Jack, as a mate.  It’s a commitment for life, and I want you,” Bunny breathes, just brushing his whiskers against Jack’s neck as he speaks.

Jack’s breath catches, choking him as he struggles to reply.  “I-I don’t know if–”

“Jack, please – Trust me.”

The sob bubbles deep in Jack’s throat, bursting forth from his lips as he buries his face into Bunny’s shoulder.  Pale fingers clutch at the fur, the emotions breaking in the retching cries as the tears fall down his cheeks.

Bunny is stunned, before shifting to pat the boy’s back.  He begins to feel his heart break, and so begins to shut down the wound.

“Snowflake, I–”

“Idiot,” Jack snaps, fingers wrapped in the soft grey comfort of Bunny.

“What?” Bunny asks, still almost numb, just the last beginnings of pain starting to fade.  “What was that mate?”

“I already do.”


	3. Day 3 - Traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack goes to church to review his memories. Bunny joins him.

The church bells tolled out their solemn tones into the air, the metallic ringing coursing through the sky in waves.  It vibrated the wind, shaking the leaves with the signal of the hour.  Ten loud bongs shook out, counting the morning awake in its loud embrace.

Heavy snow weighed down the church roof.  The wet crystals caused the wood to smell like rot and mildew, but with a dirt quality to it, like an old farm.  The scent stirred more memories deep in the back of Jack's mind, but he pushed them deeper, focusing his sights ahead at the dawn just breaking across the hilltops in the distance.  Pink and red hues adorned the sky, laced with yellow rays of sunlight.  Below the hill that the church sat atop of, the town of Burgess sprawled out, many of the residents just beginning to wake up on this Sunday.  Jack continued to breathe in the smell of the morning - the frozen dew layering the ground, the smell of snow and dirt and the memories beginning to take shape; even the feeling of the sun just beginning to warm his skin and the gentle caress of the North Wind weaving across his form had a sort of tantalizing aroma, something that only he immersed in, captured by life's magnificence.

He folded his hands behind his head, reclining against the church steeple with his staff at his side.  A deep sigh drifted from his parted lips when the tower began to settle, the vibrations from the bells beginning to subside with the last echoing clamors from their metal skeletons.  When the sound faded, Jack's ears began to pick up the faint murmurs from below him.

Between snippets of the sermon, he heard a little girl whispering, "But Mama!  ...the snow... Just a little, please?"

"No," came the immediate snap, the stern parenting voice not bothering to hide itself among the other hushed voices in the pews.  "Wait until after the service."  The voice trailed off, becoming softer, and the mother cooed sympathetically, "...almost done... go sledding with..."

He missed the last bit as the pastor raised his voice.  In his speaking authority, he concluded, "And may His light walk with us. Amen.  Let's finish out with a song, and you are dismissed!"

The choir broke out into a chorus; contemporary, modern pitches harmonizing together.  Jack smiled fondly at the faint memory of the dull hymns from his childhood.

Lost in the music from below, Jack failed to notice the soft crunch of snow on the roof behind him.

"Hello, mate.  What are you doing way up here?"

Jack flinched violently at the sound of Bunny's voice.  He rolled onto his side, placing his chin in the crook of his elbow.  The church roof sloped down from him in a steep triangle, where Bunny stood at the edge.  His paw prints revealed the brown shingles hidden beneath the snow.  A smile broke across Jack's face, the sight of the Bunny heating him from the depths of his heart.

"Nothing," he shrugged, "Just listening."

Bunny folded his arms across his chest and scoffed, "Never took you as one for listening."  He made his way up to the base of the steeple, before sitting himself down next to Jack with a small grunt.

They continued in silence for a little while, and the song finished.  The loud rumble of conversation started up as families made their way out of the church.  Crowds of people poured onto the street, walking the short distance to the neighborhoods or to their parked cars.

When the last engine roared off down the road, Bunny looked over at Jack.  The frost sprite’s eyes remained closed, as he dozed in his own thoughts, thinking about the service and dwelling on old memories.  He curled up on his side, his face buried in his arm.

Bunny shivered, the snow finally working its way through his fur.

Jack blinked his eyes open at the slight tremor, as if just noticing the Pooka for the first time.  “Are you cold?” he asked, and moved closer to the being.  He cuddled up next to Bunny, resting his head on the Pooka’s lap.

Bunny shuddered at the contact of cool skin.  “Not helping much, mate.”

A dry chuckle worked its way from Jack’s throat.  “Sorry, Cottontail.”  He sat up, leaning back against the belfry again.  “Things sure have changed since I was alive,” he commented absently.  “Our services were a lot stricter.  People took it more seriously.”

“Some still do,” Bunny added.

Jack nodded, chewing his lip thoughtfully.  His staff rested against the wood, the crook of it hooked across the peak of the roof.  His foot nudged it gently.  “Yeah, and I’m glad for that.  Wish more people believed in us, though.”

Bunny hummed in consent, although he bit back the retort he kept in his throat.  Instead, he murmured, “We’ve got the children.  They’re worth it, aren’t they?”

“Oh, definitely,” Jack replied, turning his head to look at Bunny.  “I love them, and each of them are amazing.  It’s just–,” he broke off, looking down at his lap, “It’s just I wish they wouldn’t… stop.”

The wind brushed past the steeple, weaving its way around the spire.  Bunny gazed out across the town, his expression blank, and his mind working hard to find the words to say.

“It’s a bit of tradition, though, ain’t it?  Besides, they never really stop believing.  They tell their children about us.  It’s like… they’re passing a bit of their childhood down the line with them.  Right, Jack?”  When the sprite didn’t reply, Bunny looked over at him, “Jack?  Frostbite?”

The boy stared at his staff, his expression unreadable.  Suddenly, his foot kicked out, knocking the stick away.

“Oi!  Mate, what’re you doing?” Bunny cried, leaping after the wood.  He caught it just as it was about to tumble off of the edge.  His fur scraped gently against the rough shingled, but he stood shakily with the staff in his paws.

“Frostbite, are you crazy?”

Jack only smiled, beaming up at the Pooka.  “I wanted to see what you’d do,” he stated bluntly.  “I knew you’d catch it.”

Bunny huffed an exasperated sigh, scratching at his head with the staff.  “You’ve lost it, mate.”

He sat back down next to the boy, handing the staff over.  Jack accepted it silently.  It twirled lightly in his fingers, before he set it down again.

Another moment of quiet passed between them, broken only by the fluttering of the North Wind.  Bunny continued to look at the town, observing the small people running about on their daily errands.  For a day of rest, they worked hard.

He jumped when he felt cool skin grasping for his paw.  He looked down to see Jack’s hand fumbling gently over his fur, wedging his thin fingers between his own.  Bunny obliged, spreading his paw out and accepting the contact.  His emerald eyes searched questioningly over Jack’s face, but the boy only looked back at his staff.  His knees were pulled up beneath his chin, his other arm hugging them close.

After a moment, the spirit murmured, “I’ll never stop believing in you, Bunny.”

Shocked, Bunny’s paw froze.  His whiskers twitched a little, before he smiled.  He settled back down, ignoring the bite of snow on his fur.  With a little bit of summoning, it began to melt just around himself, moss creeping across the shingles.

“Me neither, Snowflake.  I’ll always be here.”

They sat, the moss slowly creeping to meet the snow, but stopping to give Jack his comfort.  Eventually, they found themselves pressed against each other, fur to the cloth of Jack’s hoodie, as the sun rose into the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I kinda stole this headcanon from Kayasurin, but it's not really stealing, it's more like... agreeing... let's just go with that. But yeah, I think that Jack was probably a Puritan before he died. Since I don't know anything about Puritanism, and because I'm a non-denominational Christian, I decided to make the church he was sitting on a non-denominational service.  
> And I'm totally lying about the publish date. I was sick, so it wasn't procrastination either.  
> Anyways, I realized that these drabbles I'm writing for Jackrabbit Week are making a sort of backwards story. So this is set in late winter, around February, I would say.  
> And so the next chapter will be the confession, and then before that will be pre-relationship. Apparently the seventh day is a modern AU, so... we'll see what happens. Watch it be late.  
> Anyways, I hope you enjoyed!  
> ~Renoku


	4. Day 4 - Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack visits the Warren, and Bunny doesn't really mind it.

“Bunny, pass me the blue, would you?”

The clatter of a wooden bowl, followed by brash words of cursing filled the Warren.  A loud splash echoed after it as the bowl tumbled into the River of Coloring.

“Dammit!” Bunny cried, leaping after it.

Jack laughed hysterically as the Pooka waded into the River.  The glittering paint stuck to Bunny’s fur, plastering it in shades of bright pink and green.  He kept his arms hefted above the water, until he reached the bowl bobbing weakly in the liquid.  With a quick scoop of his paws, he tossed the bowl to the shore, before climbing out himself.

“Alright, Frostbite, you can quit your laughing.”

One look at the lagomorph, and Jack burst into another fit of giggles, rolling over to his side in the soft grass.

“Y-your fur!” he choked out, clutching at his stomach.

Bunny looked down at himself.  From his stomach to his feet, glittering splatters of paint hung from his fur in sticky ropes of color.  The rainbow of puke clumped in the blue-grey masses of fur, and they felt heavy, weighing him down.

With an exasperated sigh, Bunny dropped his arms.  “That’s enough, Jack.  Why are you here anyway?  Don’t you have a blizzard to control?”

Not that he minded the company.  Over that past few years since the battle with Pitch, things had changed.  Through arguments and time spent together, and among the new closeness of the Guardians as a whole, they’d become what many would say close friends.

The fluttering in Bunny’s thumping rabbit’s heart challenged that.

Jack settled down, swinging himself up and bracing his still shaking form on his staff as he crossed his legs to sit on the ground.

“You can’t control a blizzard, Cottontail,” he commented, resting his head against his staff.  “I’m just here to take a break.”

Bunny continued with his gruff attitude, frowning at the sprite.  “Well don’t sneak up on me like that.  Damn near gave me a heart attack,” he muttered, “Why didn’t you go bother Tooth or Sandy?”

A flash of hurt sparked across Jack’s face, glinting in his eyes like a bullet.  But he smiled, and Bunny ignored it.  “Tooth is too busy to have fun, and Sandy’s sleeping,” he replied steadily.

“You checked?”

“Twice,” Jack shot back.

“Fine, then,” Bunny huffed, “But I’ve still got to clean off this mess you made!”

“I didn’t push you in the river!” Jack protested.

Bunny scoffed, “But you startled me!”

“It’s not my fault you jump like a rabbit!”

“I am a rabbit!” Bunny yelped.  He sighed, brushing his ears down irritably and running a paw through his fur.  “You know what, mate?  Fine, you can stay here.”

Jack nodded contemplatively, as if wondering the conditions of this arrangement.  “Can I still have some blue paint?”

“Why?”

“I want to paint an egg,” responded Jack.

A curious look flitted across Bunny’s face, but he shook it off.  “Whatever, mate, just let me get cleaned off first.”

Without another glance at the boy, he stalked off.  Despite the new chill in the Warren, the atmosphere remained warm.  Grass sprouted in its eternal spring, and created the perfect environment for new life.

Jack followed Bunny slowly, gazing around himself.

The cold breeze that flowed with him weaved through the plants.  The reeds along the riverbank whistled lightly in the wind.  Flowers bloomed, the petals drifting in the air.  Bunny tried as hard as he could to ignore the perfection with the actions, with the sheer presence of the winter sprite.  He made his way to the baths.

“Jack,” he started.

Jack hummed a reply, not really listening as he daydreamed.

“I could, uh, use a little privacy mate.”

“What?”  Jack snapped back to reality.  “Oh!  Right, sorry.  Er… I’ll go paint, I guess.”

“Right,” Bunny affirmed.

He pretended not to notice the purple hue frosting across Jack’s cheeks.

* * *

 

Later in the evening, Jack remained in the Warren.  Some form of darkness fell in the underground cavern, and fireflies lit up the stone ceiling.

“Bunny,” Jack began, edging closer to the Pooka.

For the past few hours, they’d painted.  Bunny’s coat gleaned with a clean wash, only to be splattered with stray drops of paint.

“Yeah, Frostbite?” Bunny asked, nodding in the boy’s direction.

The egg was thrust beneath his nose quite abruptly.  Its shell shone with a light blue background.  Green grass covered the bottom, shaded in perfect lighting from the sun.  A silhouette of Jack and Bunny adorned the surface, a single heart between them.

“Jack,” Bunny murmured, looking to the sprite, “What’s this?”

The sprite was staring down at his lap.  Frost decorated his cheeks, hiding the red flush beneath the transparent ice.

“I-I… I’ve never done this before… But I really think I like you, Bunny.  And…” He trailed off, his fists balled up in his lap.

A moment passed, silent enough to hear a snowflake drop.

Bunny took a breath, and opened his mouth to reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, so this was bad. I really don't have anything to say, except that I'm sorry it's late and that I rushed it. I'm still sick, so working through that. I'm going to get the next chapter up ASAP. But I'm going to try not to rush it. I'm actually really excited for this next prompt, so I hope the do it justice!  
> Thank you for reading this mess of a drabble. :P  
> Love you guys!  
> ~Renoku


	5. Day 5 - First Time for Everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack challenges Bunny to a racing rematch, and for the first time, the results are different.

The first time a stray thought passed trough Jack's mind, he'd lost a race with Bunnymund.

Watching the Pooka dash ahead of him in the late Burgess air, at first he'd only felt a sense of dread.  After a long day with the kids, particularly Sophie, Jack asked Bunny for a rematch - the fifth rematch since the race collecting the teeth.  Smirking, the rabbit accepted.

Now they bounded along the streets of the low-rise city, dodging stray pedestrians - even though they posed no obstacle - and ignoring the shocked cries of the younger believers still making their ways indoors for the night.  The cold breeze of the North Wind propelled Jack as fast as possible, and the effort required utmost concentration.  He weaved through the traffic and the buildings, tempted to fly higher despite the oncoming night.  Streetlights started flickering on as the sun set, their bulbs exploding suddenly in white electricity.  One such lamp blasted Jack full on with light.

He cried out, blinking spots out of his eyes.  Luckily, the Wind guided him to safety, just as Bunny rushed past with a whooping laugh.

The Pooka leapt over the stonework of the apartment buildings, diving over railings and ledges.  He rolled past the air vents dotted across the cityscape, stretching out his limbs during what he considered a gentle exercise.

This was when the feeling of unease began to burn in Jack's head.

Grunting, he forced himself forward in the air, flying quickly after Bunny.  He let the whipping breeze cool his body as he struggled to overtake the Pooka.  A fantastic view of the rabbit's fluffy tail entertained Jack, who rolled his eyes at the sight.

As he neared closer, however, the lights began to flicker on again.  Bunny's fur shone with a luminance in the evening atmosphere, the rushing lights flickering off of his pelt.  Muscles rippled underneath the fur, strong and lean against His form.  And surrounding that fluffy tail...

Another streetlight blared on, flashing Jack in the face.  He yelped, too unfocused to steer himself away, as his stomach crashed into the metal pole.  His body flipped away, hit hard enough to render him breathless as pain shot through his abdomen.

With another cry of pain, he slammed onto the concrete roof of the nearest building, rolling across the rough surface.  His back smashed into an air conditioning vent, denting it with a loud clang, before his head followed after, and his vision went black.

Barely a moment seemed to pass before he came back to his senses.

“Jack!  Frostbite, are you alright?” sounded the concerned Australian voice of Bunny.

Jack opened his eyes to meet green.  Shining, emerald green orbs gleamed down at him, brimming with concern.

“Oh thank MiM, you’re awake!” Bunny exclaimed.  “Christ, Jackie, you hit ground hard.  Can you hear me?”

Mutely, Jack nodded, too stunned to speak.

The lack of response set Bunny off even more, his ears twitching in alarm.  His muzzle seemed to quiver, his nose scenting out any other signs of injury.

Finally, Bunny gingerly set his arms around Jack.

“Come on, mate, let’s get you back to the Warren.”

Jack almost questioned the destination; North’s infirmaries kept the best materials.  But then he found himself pressed to Bunny’s chest, and felt the strong arms around him, and he decided not to question anything.

In the end, as Bunny thumped his feet twice on the concrete roof, he managed to mumble, “D-does this mean I win?”

A cautious chuckle escaped Bunny’s mouth.  “Nah, mate.  This is the first time I think we’ll just call it a draw.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I GOT IT DONE  
> AND IT CAN PASS  
> THANK YOU TIME ZONES  
> But yeah, I'm working on the next one as we speak.  
> This concludes the backwards story these last few oneshots have been telling. This is the beginning of their relationship, with day one being them more comfortable. Day two was their first time, BTW. And day one was basically just they have a lot of sex. So yeah.  
> Anyways, I'm not hopped up on sickness drugs right now, so I'm not very tired. I want to get the next one doneON TIME this time. Watch me just be more sick tomorrow. :P  
> Love you guys! Thanks for reading!  
> ~Renoku


	6. Day 6 - Job Swap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack and Bunny attempt to bring back the dead to life, and yet nature might intend otherwise.

His chest thrust forward, set on by the coursing of power through his veins.  They exploded underneath the surface of his pale skin, etching the chiseled lines of blood flow.  His muscles strained as they fought against the surge of energy.  Sweat beaded along his skin, sticking to the white hairs brushed lightly over his body.

For the first time in over three hundred years, the dead heart of Jack Frost began to beat.

Tall ears twitched at the sound.  The dull thumping of the sprite’s heart sparked a joy in the Pooka’s chest.  He lowered his head from his mate’s shoulder to his ribcage and pressed his face to the cold, bare skin.

It echoed throughout Bunnymund’s mind, like a symphony of life in his lobes.

“It’s working,” he breathed, unable to believe in the crazy idea set before him.  “Frostbite, it’s working!  You were right, mate, you were right!”  He exclaimed in a sort of fanatical exuberance, bounding away from his mate momentarily as he cried his relief to the cavern around them.

As the Pooka celebrated, Jack’s heart began to heave.

First came the pain.  It racked the sprite’s body from his chest, a jolt of energy that struck through his limbs like lightening.  The explosion shook him to his very core, triggering a release of power in his body.  A strangled cry tore from his throat, ripping at his voice in agony.

Bunny froze.  Panic set in.  Another scream of pain shot through his ears.

“JACK!” Bunny shouted, leaping back to his mate’s side.  “Jack, stay with me, mate!  Jack, what’s wrong?  What’s happening, Jack, please, Frostbite, just tell me!”  Only another echoing weep answered him, and Bunny sobbed, “JACK!”

The Pooka began to tug at the contraption holding his mate – the stupid piece of technology foraged from his memories of the Golden Age.  The straps held Jack’s half-naked form spread eagle in the air.  Bunny pried his claws into the metal clasps, but they were locked tightly around the boy’s wrists and ankles.  With desperation striking his actions, Bunny heaved with his entire body.  The steel began to weaken.

“Don’t worry, Jack!” he shouted over the boy’s pained screams, “We’re going to get you out of this!”

The boy’s form began to contort with spasms, his chest swelling with breath that he released.  His stomach sucked itself in, tightening the skin around his ribs.  With another cry, he threw his head back, fighting against the bonds holding him.

A spark of energy burst from the machine, throwing Bunny back.

“JACK!” he bellowed over the blasts of power surging in the air.

He threw himself again at the machine, tackling Jack in the chest.  The boy gasped at the blunt force, too gone to respond to anything else but pain.  His cold skin vibrated with a growing heat, and smoke began to emit from the monstrous invention.

Sparks of electricity began to build, and Bunny abandoned his attempts.  He hugged Jack close to him, shouting out with the boy as the heat grew between them.  His vision went white, and only his last resort remained:

Hope.

The machine detonated, the metal shattering like glass and roaring with flames.  Clockwork gears clattered along the ground, larger shreds of metal gashing into the earth.  The screech of lighting shot through the air across the room, around it, within it.  Another explosion rang out, throwing Bunny to the earth with Jack in his arms.  The loud clanging of steel against stone rang throughout the cavern far after the blasts ended.

Among the smoking wreckage, Bunny groaned, picking himself up from the scorched earth.  As he shook his head clear of the throbbing headache, the stars in his vision began to fade.

The unconscious form of Jack lay beneath him, unresponsive and completely still.

Bunny sucked in a breath.  “Jack?” he asked hesitantly.  He prodded the boy’s face gently.  “Jack, mate, wake up.”

Silence filled the cavern, the hidden room deep within the Warren.  It was broken by a small sniffle, as tears began to form in Bunny’s eyes.

“Jack,” he whined, his voice scratching as he fought back tears.  He ran a paw through his mate’s hair, soft as moonlight and scorched black at the tips.  “Frostbite, please, don’t do this to me,” he begged.  His head fell to the boy’s chest, and he whispered, “Don’t leave me.”

A moment passed, in which a strange calm settled over Bunnymund.  And then, out of the depths of his heart, a cry of rage broke from his throat.  He reared back, roaring in sobs.  His paw reached out to grab a shard of metal, hoisting it above his head before he pitched it across the room.  With an unsatisfying crash it embedded into the rock.

Again, Bunny flung his anger at the wall.  He took up the last shards of his broken machine, his last hope, and destroyed it in his grip.  His pained sobs wept for redemption, and yet he only found anger underneath the rubble.  Over and over, he tossed away the last remnants of his people; he vowed to erase the memory from his mind.  He promised to sleep again, to fall back into the darkness for millennia, for eternity.  The believers be damned, he never wanted to see the light again.  He only longed to see the glow of the blessed afterlife, where he could find the soul of his beloved.

And that beloved lay dead on the ground.

When every bit of scrap metal disappeared from Bunny’s reach, he only found Jack’s body.  At the sight of the pale skin, hidden in the darkness of the cavern, anger rose in his chest once again.  He pounded at the earth, dirt spraying around him, as his screaming echoed in the cave.

Soon, his strength left him, and he collapsed next to the boy.

He cupped the winter child’s face in his dirty paw, and his sobs faded to quiet weeping.  The tears streamed down his cheeks, disappearing into his fur.  Soft skin knew his rough pads, unscarred by the damage.

“Jack,” Bunny gasped, “Jack, I-I…”

He couldn’t say it.  He tried, but only choked on the words as they formed on his tongue.

Suddenly, a white flash of light blinded Bunny.  He blinked away the shock, as it flashed again.  Cold seeped through his fur, and he snapped his gaze down to his paw.

A white glow emitted from his claws, arcs of light jumping from one to the next.  Bunny only looked at it curiously, before it burst forth.  Frost decorated the air, emerging from Bunny’s arm.  It crawled up his fur, encasing his limbs in the ice.

He yelped, throwing himself back as he tried to scramble away.  The white tendrils of cold blew through the cavern, brushing against his fur in a wild torrent.

As quickly as it started, the light shut off, and the frost dissipated into nothing.

His heart thumped wildly in his chest, his ears pressed flat against his head.  With wide eyes, Bunny looked around himself, scared and confused.

The low crumbling of earth began to rumble around him.  He flinched at first, breathing heavily.  Then his eyes fell on Jack.

Hesitantly, he crawled forward to his mate.  His nose snuffled curiously, but he stifled his questions as he peered down at the boy’s body.

Slowly, vines began to sprout form the earth.  They moved toward Jack like a source of light, snaking their way across his skin.  The wrapped their barbed tendrils around his limbs, christening him with their leaves.  Flowers bloomed along the vines, the petals opening with a flourish of color.  A crown of roses crawled across Jack’s forehead, the light pink and yellow buried in his moonlit hair.

He looked like an angel.

Captivated, Bunny reached out a paw.  His claws gently caressed the boy’s face once again.  He traced out his love on the skin.  Ice began to slowly seep from his fur, trailing down his paw, and onto the clean beauty of Jack Frost.  A sharp gasp filled the cavern, and Jack’s chest heaved with air.

His eyes snapped open, the ice blue overtaken by emerald as he awoke into life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha, so that was pretty much terrible! I mean the ending, at least. Ugh, I tried to write it well, but I ended up getting pressured by time to rush it, and now here you are.  
> I kind of want to continue this, though...  
> What do you think?  
> Anyways, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!  
> ~Renoku


	7. Day 7 - Modern AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aster and Jack wait for the car to warm up and for the frost to melt from the windshield. Sort-of inspired by _The Vow_ , but a lot happier.

The snow fell soft and thick over the city of Burgess, coating the buildings with a white blanket of ice.  The gentle moonlight washed the town in a deep blue light, creating an urban wonderland of frost.  The wind whirled through the streets, the biting chill brushing against the passerby.

Jack's hair wavered in the breeze, falling across his eyes.  He brushed his brown bangs away with a grin, before the cold made him shiver.  Gloved hand shaking, he tugged his scarf higher on his reddened face, just underneath his running nose.

"Are you shivering?" exclaimed the accented voice of one E. Aster Bunnymund, layered with mock surprise, "Is Jackson Overland, mister 'I don't need an extra cap, it's only 20 bloody degrees outside, I can handle it' – is he actually shivering?"

Jack laughed, bumping the taller man playfully with his shoulder.  "Shut up," he retorted, "I didn't say 'cap', I said 'hat'.  And I don't think I used the word 'bloody' either."

"Are you calling me a liar?  Is that what I am to you?  I'm hurt, Jack, I really am."

Another shove from Jack quieted him, and he reduced his words to light chuckles.

"That's enough, Aster," Jack scolded with a smile on his face.  "Turn down the sarcasm before someone thinks your drunk."

"I thought you liked my sarcasm, love."  Aster arched his eyebrow a little in Jack's direction, and he teased, "I thought you found it _charming_."

"Stop misquoting me," said Jack, the grin on his face widening as he hid his face.

"Are you blushing too, mate?"

"It the wind!" Jack protested.  "Come on, it's freezing!"

“ _You_ think it’s freezing!  I’m wearing three coats and I can’t feel my bloody arse!  My fingers are frozen, mate!”

“Then you need to move _faster!_ ”

Jack shoved him once more, before dashing off down the sidewalk.  Aster regained his footing on the snow, laughing at the younger man’s antics.  Shaking his head, he tightened the scarf around his own neck, and followed Jack.  The bright lights of the movie theater lobby glowed behind him, the snow passing before them and casting black-and-blue flurried shadows across the ground.  The flakes fell on Aster’s snowcap, the wet crystals seeping through to his dark hair.  He sneezed harshly, and a clump of snow slid between the cloth of his multiple coats and his tanned skin.  He cursed, leaping a little on his feet as he shook the snow off.  Thick rubber boots crunched on the ground, and he took off down the street after the brunet man, who in turn whooped at the chase.

They made it to the car together, Jack resting his hand on the door handle as he leapt from foot to foot.

“Hurry, Cottontail, unlock the door!” he cried, his gasping breath clouding in the air and misting across his beet-red cheeks.

Aster fumbled for the car keys in his various coat pockets, regretting choosing the fingerless gloves.  The doors clicked open, just as Bunny noticed the white sheet across the windshield.

“Damn,” he hissed, “It’s iced over.  Get in, Jack, let me clear some of it off.”

Jack nodded, ducking into the passenger seat.  Aster ran his arm across the window, trying to scrape as much of the snow off as possible.  Bits of the white gave away to clear, and Aster saw Jack’s face grinning up at him, even more beautiful flushed red from the cold.  Aster felt his heart quicken, frozen until a cloud of his own breath blew into his face.  Snapping out of his daze, Aster rubbed at the window with a new vigor.  When he’d gotten as much as he could, which wasn’t much, he climbed into the car.

“That’s all I could get,” he stated, as he leaned across the car to plant a kiss on Jack’s lips.  The boy accepted almost eagerly, giggling when Aster pulled away.  “What?” Aster asked.

“You’re lips are cold,” Jack laughed.  He then commented, “You had this look on when you were scraping the window.”

Aster smiled, and answered honestly, “It’s ’cause you’re so beautiful, love.”

The words stopped Jack, and he stared at Aster.  After a moment, his red face seemed to glow even brighter, and he looked down at his lap.  His hands twisted in his lap, nervous and giddy at the compliment.

Satisfied, Aster turned to jam the keys into the ignition.  The car started up, but as he looked out the window, he couldn’t see past the warped ice.

“Shit,” he cussed, “Knew we shouldn’t have snuck into another movie.  Why’d I listen to a bugger like you anyway?”

He smirked at Jack, who only laughed, “You wanted to see it as much as I did!”

“Me?” Aster exclaimed, almost offended, “No man like me ever _wants_ to see a romance!”

“But you were the one crying,” Jack reminded the Australian, who scoffed.

“Whatever, mate.”  He flicked on the heater, relishing in the warm air that slowly began to fill the vehicle.  “We’re going to have to let the engine heat up before we can go,” he informed Jack.

When he looked back at his boyfriend, he stopped at the gaze set upon him.  Jack’s brown eyes glinted with suggestive intentions, and he grinned slyly at Aster.  He leaned forward, breathing slowly, as he captured Aster’s mouth in a slow kiss.

He groaned lightly, and then pulled away.  In a low voice, he breathed, “I have a few ideas on how speed that up.”

“Christ, you’re crazy,” Aster shuddered, before leaning forward again.

As they kissed, Jack’s hand slid up to Aster’s head, knocking off the man’s hat.  He ran his fingers through the dark greyish-blue hair, before pulling Aster back with him.  Aster moaned deeply into Jack’s lips, and they fell onto the passenger seat.

Jack cursed when his head hit the car door.  “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” he gasped.

Aster chuckled, his breath misting into Jack’s face.  “Now you think that?”

“God, why do you wear so much clothes?” the brunet exclaimed.

“Mate, are we doing this or not?”

Jack seemed to think on it a moment, his hair splayed around him on the passenger seat and pressed against the car door.  His cheeks were past the point of blushing.  He pressed finger against the corner of his mouth thoughtfully, his glittering brown eyes turned up in mocking concentration.

“Well,” he drawled, his voice now light and innocent, “It is a little uncomfortable.  Not to mention there isn’t that much space…  Do you think I’d hurt my neck?”

Aster laughed, huffing his breath into the man’s face.  “You are unbelievable,” he chuckled lightheartedly, sitting up back into the driver’s seat.

“Hey, it’s a legit concern!” Jack cried, righting himself in his own seat.  “What if I hurt my back too?  I’m already sore enough without the awkward position!”

A moment of silence passed between them, before they both burst into laughter.  Aster pounded his fist against the car horn, the exploding noise echoing in the near-empty street around them.  Above the din, he heard Jack’s fit of giggles, and peeked through his happy tears at the boy.

He clutched at his stomach as he leaned back in his seat, bundled warmly up in his jacket and scarf.  Both hung loosely from his shoulders, sliding away as his body shook with joy.  His pale neck exposed itself, the fading red welt from a few nights before still plain against his skin.  At the sight of his lover’s happiness, Aster felt his heart flip in his chest.

His laughter stopped abruptly, and he stared hard at his boyfriend.

“Marry me.”

Jack seemed to freeze, and he whipped his head around, brown eyes wide and smile gone from his face.  “What?” he breathed.

Suddenly, Aster’s mind caught up with himself.  “Oh, shit!” he cried, as he looked about himself.  His hands dove into his pockets at random, searching for the box.  He’d brought it with them, just in case.  The entire time, he felt Jack’s hesitant gaze on his struggles.

Finally, he found it, in the pocket inside the bottom jacket, next to his heart.  His fingers met the soft fabric of it first, and he paused.  A deep breath entered his lungs, and as he exhaled, he pulled out the small black box that fit snugly into his hands.

He heard Jack’s small breath, and slowly, he looked up at the younger man.  Jack held his hands over his mouth, eyes wide with realization.

Aster flicked his gaze back down to the box.  “I-I know this is a shitty proposal, mate… I was gonna wait until we got back home, but…” He took another breath, and steeled himself.

“Truth is, Jack, I loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you.  Three years ago, you brought in a group of kids from your volunteer work to the studio.  They made a real mess of things, too,” Aster chuckled a little at the memory.  He heard Jack laugh as well, and snapped his gaze back up to look at him.  The brunet’s eyes were reddened, his hands now clutched to his chest.  A small smile tugged at his slightly chapped lips, as his laugh subsided.  Aster locked eyes with him, and poured his heart into his words as he continued, “The point is – since then, I was always annoyed when you came, but I was happy too.  I got to see you.  And then when you asked me to go get coffee with you, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.  You’ve made the last three years of my life unforgettable, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather spend my life with.”  He began to feel his own tears forming, and he felt his hands opening the box, “I love you so much, Jack.  Will you marry me?”

A breathless silence stretched an eternity between them.  Then, slowly, Jack began to nod, his face breaking into a wide smile, his brown eyes sparkling.

“Yes,” he answered, the words escaping him like lightening, “Yes, yes, Aster, yes!”

A shriek of glee left his lips, as he threw himself forward.  They kissed, hard and passionate.  Jack’s hands caressed Aster’s face, relishing in the stubble along his jaw, and running his hands through the man’s hair.  Aster dropped the box, the light blue ring tumbling out onto the seat beside him.  He wrapped his arms around Jack, pulling his fiancé close to his chest, as he felt the heat growing around him and inside him.

As they touched, the last drops of ice melted on the windshield.

* * *

 

_“Bunny, what are you doing?”_

_“What does it look like, mate?  I’m melting your bloody blizzard so some people can get home!”_

_“They seem like they’re having a good time, there’s no rush.”_

_“It’s nearly spring anyway, Frostbite, just let me do my job.”_

_“Bunny…”_

_“W-what was that, mate?!”_

_“I kissed you.  Come on, let’s leave them alone.”_

_“…Alright, love.”_

_“Didn’t that one guy look a little like you?”_

_“You mean that tan bloke?  What are you, crazy?”_

_“He had your eyes.”_

_“Mine are better, Frostbite.  Greener.”_

_“I’m not saying they aren’t.”_

_“You bloody icicle.”_

_“H-hey!  Bunny, put me down!  Mmph!”_

_“Christ, I’m only kissing you Jackie.”_

_“…”_

_“Love you, Frostbite.”_

_“I love you too, Cottontail.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this was originally going to be a "car crash" scene. Heheh... I stopped before I got that far. I figured that the scene at the very end, with Jack and Bunny (the Guardians) having their dialogue about the two, and then Bunny giving back the human Jack his life, and then no memory loss would occur. But I figured that would be really long, and I was running out of time. Also I didn't want to write anything bloody. I've done too much of that lately.  
> But the ultimate reason is that I got lazy. XD  
> Anyways, I hope you liked it! :) I had a great time this week, and can't wait to do it again. Maybe I'll be on time then. :P  
> Love you guys!  
> ~Renoku


End file.
